


before you know it we're singing christmas songs (i think i'm ready for something new)

by naru_writes



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Married Life, Mpreg, written for a christmas exchange but i don't remember which one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 11:16:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13833018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naru_writes/pseuds/naru_writes
Summary: Prompt: where they take the kids to anne's and jay's for chirstmas and they're spoiled a little bit and it's cute like car banter and cuddling by a fireplace chirstmas movies, etc.





	before you know it we're singing christmas songs (i think i'm ready for something new)

**Author's Note:**

> Louis – 35  
> Zayn – 34  
> Liam – 34  
> Niall – 34  
> Harry - 33
> 
> The children:  
> Caleb – 10  
> Kian – 7  
> Kyle – 7  
> Logan – 5

"Are we there yet?"

Louis almost groans, his head thumping against the window. "No, Caleb, we're not almost there yet." It's only an hour from Nottingham to Doncaster, and they've been in the car for twenty minutes. The twins ran into their parents' room that morning on their chubby legs and crawled onto their bed, causing them to receive tickles as punishment. Harry was half awake as he made breakfast for them all and Louis had to monitor him closely so he wouldn't fall asleep over the pancakes. Chloe, the wolf hybrid puppy they got Caleb for his ninth birthday, lay at his feet as if she was expecting food to be dropped.

After breakfast, they opened presents and Harry was slightly confused as to why he only received one gift from Louis, he'd always received the same amount of presents as their kids in previous years. "You'll get the rest of your gifts at my mum's, darling," Louis said, kissing the tip of his pouting husband's nose before helping Kian with the bows she'd gotten stuck in her hair with the help of her twin brother, Kyle, and unwrapping Chloe from the mass of ribbons that had been thrown on her while she was chewing on a milk bone.

One Direction ended in 2017, eleven years ago, but the boys still kept in touch with each other and were still very much as close as they were when they were in the band. Harry and Louis were finally allowed to come out as an engaged couple, and after a few months of being public, they had the wedding at a small, local church in Holmes Chapel because Harry argued that since his parents had to drive all the way to Doncaster for Jay's wedding, it was the Tomlinson's turn to travel. Zayn moved back to Bradford to finally start on his teaching degree ("Your students are going to fail your class on purpose just so they can get 'extra help' from you, you know that," Louis had said one evening the week before their contract was up. Zayn had only rolled his eyes.) Niall stayed in Ireland and opened his own recording studio in Galway for up and coming artists. Big artists came in as well, but most of them stayed true to their roots and stuck to studios in either Dublin or London. Liam and Sophia decided to settle down in a small village in East Sussex (Liam claimed that he wanted to get away from the city life where everyone knew him.) Harry and Louis chose to move to Nottingham because Louis decided he wanted to go to uni and get his degree in psychology. Harry was the only one who kept singing, getting small gigs in pubs and often setting up a spot on the street and opening his guitar case for anyone who wanted to give him money. Not that he needed it, but he liked the simple pocket change.

Two months into his classes, Louis found out he was pregnant with their son Caleb. He was terrified, why wouldn't he be? Money wasn't an issue, and he knew that men were able to conceive, but it was Harry he was worried about; they'd talked about having kids together many times in the quiet darkness of the tour bus, save for Niall's occasional fart and Liam's snores, but he hadn't planned on it happening so soon. His plan was to finish uni and then try for kids, not the other way around. But Harry was thrilled when Louis told him, all curled up in the middle of their bed in one of Harry's jumpers crying, worried that Harry was going to leave him. Which was a stupid thought, he realized, when Harry had dropped to his knees without speaking and lifted his jumper. “There's a baby in there,” he whispered. “A baby that we created.” He leaned in and pressed small kisses all over his still-flat tummy and that was all the confirmation Louis needed.

Harry, on the other hand, was worried about Louis. It wasn't a secret that his dad left him right after he was born, and Harry knew that Louis wasn't the same as him. But that thought was always in the back of his mind. That's why ten days after Caleb was born, Harry woke up at midnight to an empty space beside him, and he couldn't help but chant in his head he didn't leave, he wouldn't leave us as he quietly walked out of their room. He heard soft talking coming from the nursery, and when Harry opened the door, he found Louis sitting on the floor by the cot, his finger closed in the grip of Caleb's tiny fist as the baby slept. Louis was sobbing angrily, quiet enough as to not wake their son, with hot tears rolling down his cheeks. He was talking, but the only thing Harry could make out, the only thing that made his heart sink in his chest, was:

“I'm gonna stay.”

It didn't stop there, though. The twins, Kian and Kyle, came three years after Caleb was born. While Caleb was quiet and more like his dad, the twins were energetic and loved to play football. Caleb and Harry would try to join with them, but the trio was too good. “S'cause we got the bestest coach!” Kyle would exclaim from his perch on Louis' shoulders, his fingers tangled in his daddy's hair so he wouldn't fall. Kian had her tiny arms wrapped around his waist, just happy to be close to him.

Baby Logan was a complete surprise. Louis had gone on birth control after the twins, swearing that they weren't having anymore, that three kids was enough for a pub singer and a uni student, but nonetheless, Mother Nature wanted to make it an even four. Logan was born two months early and had to stay in the hospital for a few weeks before she could be released.

But now, the four children are piled in the back of the Range Rover on the motorway on their way to Nana Jay's house. Caleb's still buzzing, obviously, from opening presents, but he has his Beats headphones on and he's playing his Gameboy Advance SP Zayn had gotten him for his birthday, so at least he's being quiet. The twins are asleep, and three-year-old Logan is silently watching the world go by outside her window with her fingers in her mouth.

“You alright, love?”

Louis blinks, snapping out of his daze. “I'm fine,” he says, crossing his legs and sitting on his feet. “Just dozed off for a moment, I think.”

Harry chuckles, his eyes darting between the road in front of him and the rear-view mirror as he merges lanes. “I figured you'd be wide awake from all of the excitement. You get to spend the hols with everyone, and you're on break from your classes.” Louis actually does groan this time. He's so sick of being 35 and still in university –

Jesus, he's old. Better start paying for a plot in the cemetery soon – but it's his last year and it's something he would never regret in a million years.

“Please don't remind me that I'm still in uni, Haz,” he says, leaning against the door. He put on an exaggerated grandpa voice, “I'm too old for it now, I'm surrounded by all these young and cool people. Almost screwed up me hips hobbling to my physics class.” His husband’s full out laughing now, and Louis beams. He loves it when Harry laughs – it's nothing but bright eyes and a wide grin that makes his dimples pop out and Louis wants to do nothing more than lean forward and press his thumbs against them.

So he does. He leans across the console and covers a dimple, making Harry flush and giggle. God he loves him.

“You're cute,” he murmurs, glad their children are still asleep in the back and that Logan is too preoccupied with the snow that's flying past her window. He doesn't remove his hands from his face, instead leaning in and pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his cheek before settling back into his seat and turning on the radio.

“'Tismas music, Daddy!” Logan calls from the backseat when she sees Louis reaching to turn the volume up. Louis turns and makes a face at her.

“Enjoying the ride so far, princess?” he asks, reaching his arm out to wipe a bit of apple juice off her chin with his thumb. Logan nods quickly and starts chanting “'Tismas, 'Tismas!”, signaling Louis to turn on the music.

Soon, the car is filled with the kid versions of Frosty The Snowman and Jingle Bells. Harry sings along, only it's not quite the original. “Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg. The Batmobile lost a wheel and the Joker got away!” Logan loved it and started squealing and clapping her hands, demanding for an encore.

When they're halfway to Doncaster, the kids are wide awake and munching on the candy from their stockings. Kian and Kyle are starting to get antsy, squirming in their car seats and whining about how their bums hurt. Caleb's asked “Are we there yet?” only four more times in the past ten minutes. Only. But Harry finally threatened to ground him from the new PlayStation he got just that morning if he asked one more time. Logan's finally fallen asleep and her sippy cup of apple juice is almost falling out of her hand as she drools on her shoulder.

As they driver further down the motorway, Louis can see Doncaster coming up in the distance and he grins, starting to get excited. Harry chuckles at this and reaches over to place and hand on his thigh, his thumb brushing gently over his knee. The plan is to spend Christmas morning and afternoon at Louis' parents' and then go to Holmes Chapel to spend Christmas night and Boxing Day morning. Boxing Day has been their day for the lads since the X Factor, and just because they're not in a band together anymore doesn’t mean that they aren't still attached at each others hips. Sure, they've all got their own lives now but they're always able to make time to hang out, even if Harry and Louis have to bring the kids along.

The kids start to unbuckle as soon as Harry parks the car in the driveway, and Louis rolls his eyes and chuckles as Caleb helps the twins out of their seats. Harry gently unbuckles Logan and holds her close as she clings to him, nuzzling into his warm neck and huffing softly. Jay already has lunch finished so as soon as they've all gotten inside and taken their coats and hats and boots off, they're piling into the dining room around the table and saying grace. Louis' mum had to buy a bigger table and more chairs over the years since her son decided to carry on the tradition of expanding the Tomlinson family, but she couldn't be happier surrounded by her children and her grandchildren.

“Nana, do we get to open presents after this?” Kyle asks around a mouthful of food. Harry scolds him lightly about talking with his mouth full and Jay smiles softly.

“Yes, darling. But you have to finish your food first.”

Soon enough, they're finished with lunch and Louis' helping his mum with the cleaning up. “Now,” Jay says after Harry and Dan's gathered the kids by the tree. “What did you have to tell me?”

Louis looks over his shoulder to make sure Harry isn't sneaking up on him before he takes his wallet out of his back pocket. Jay puts a hand over her mouth to quiet a gasp when her son pulls out an ultrasound. “Another?” she whispers. Louis nods.

“Found out last month,” he replies. “I didn't want to tell Harry until today.”

“Oh, love. He's going to be so happy,” Jay gushes, pulling him into a tight hug. They walk into the living room and Louis sits on the floor beside his husband, grinning when Logan comes crawling into his lap. The others are too busy playing with their aunts and uncle. Lottie is 31 and Fizzy's 30, while Daisy and Phoebe are 20. Ernest and Doris are the only young children Jay has, being in their teens.

Dan's the one sitting closest to the tree, so he's been dubbed the present passer. Louis cuddles up to Harry's side and grins when his husband lights up as his presents pile up in his lap. The kids are already tearing the paper open, too excited to wait, but no one says anything. The kids received more toys and Louis wonders if they'll have to put a few of their old ones in storage because of the lack of space in their playroom. Harry got a new watch and, he would never admit to it, but started crying a little when he opened the new guitar from Louis. “Old Faithful has run his course, love,” Louis told him, laughing and stroking Harry's curls as he hid his face in his neck and whispered little thank you's, “You don't want to be like Ed and keep all of your guitars even though they're all old and about to fall apart.”

Now, though, Louis bites his lip and fiddles with his hands, glancing at his mum who gives him a reassuring nod. He nods back and lets out a breath. “Harry,” he says slowly, turning towards him. “I have another present for you.”

Harry tilts his head, curious. “What is it? I'm sure it can't top the guitar, babe,” he says with a teasing chuckle.

Louis laughs nervously. “I wouldn't be too sure about that. Close your eyes.” He waits until Harry does as he's told to pull out the ultrasound. The girls gasp quietly and Dan asks Jay if she'd already knew while the kids look on in confusion, other than Caleb, who has seen enough ultrasounds to know that he's getting a new brother or sister. Harry frowns at the quiet murmur.

“Babe?”

“Open your eyes,” Louis said, placing the picture in Harry's hands. Harry looked down and his eyes widened, going still for a few moments before pulling Louis into his lap and hugging him tight around his waist.

“Thank you,” he whispered into his neck, and Louis grinned, his eyes watering. The kids looked at them in confusion and Logan crawled forward to push between them.

“Daddy? S'matter?” she asks worriedly, sitting in both of their laps. Louis coos and brushes her hair out of her forehead before showing her the picture.

“See that, love? That's a baby,” he says, pointing to the little shape. “It's in Daddy's tummy.” Logan looks between the ultrasound and her daddy before placing a hand on his tummy.

“In there?”

Louis nods and lifts up his shirt. “You were in there, too, at one time. And so were Caleb, Kian, and Kyle.” She still looks confused and Harry laughs.

“Sweetheart, you're getting a new brother or sister,” he says, frowning when Logan does the same. Her eyes fill with tears and Louis quickly comforts her.

“I'm not gonna be the baby anymore?”

“Oh love, you'll still be the baby,” he says, thumbing away a little tear. “But you have to understand that the new baby will need most of our attention until they're as big as you, okay? We'll still love you and play with you like we do now.”

Logan nods and cuddles into Harry's chest, asking questions about the baby every so often as everyone finishes opening their presents. Soon enough, though, they're back on the motorway to Harry's parents'. Louis' sad that he can't see them longer, but it is what it is and they have other people in their extended family to see as well. The ride doesn't feel quite as long as it did this morning; the twins are content with finishing the sweets they were eating on the way up and playing with the smaller toys they'd gotten, Caleb was still playing on his Gameboy, and Logan. Well. Logan was amusing herself by blowing air on the window and drawing pictures.

Louis thinks he should take a picture and post it on Instagram. So he does with the caption “The monsters are finally at peace . One more stop to go ! x”, and it gets almost three thousand likes in the five minutes it's been up. Anne's is the “funner house”, as Logan puts it, because she has no other little children but her grandbabies, so she spoils them every time they come to visit.

“Nana!” the four of them call out as soon as Robin lets them in the house with a laugh, Harry and Louis trailing behind their little pack hand in hand. The kids head straight for the living room where Gemma's going through the presents under the tree and making sure they didn't forget anyone and where cartoons are playing on the TV. Harry and Louis help Anne with dinner but it's mostly just Harry and Anne as Louis sits at the island and watches. Harry feeds him bits and pieces as they go and Anne wonders what's gotten the two so happy but she figures they'll tell her when they're ready. When dinner is finally ready a few hours later and Louis' pried the twins out of the tree to stop them from getting into the presents, they all gather around the table.

“Wine, Louis?” Robin asks, holding the bottle of white wine. Louis shakes his head and keeps his stutter to a minimum.

“N-no thanks, Robin. I haven't really been drinking much lately.” He hopes that they don't pick up on the way Harry's smiling and that one of the kids doesn't blab. Gemma looks at him curiously and her eyes widen slightly when she catches her brother rub Louis' belly out of their parents' views.

Dinner is eaten in silence and the kids are almost bouncing in their seats to go into the living room. Just as Louis and Harry are standing to take their plates into the kitchen, Gemma pulls them into the hallway.

“You're pregnant.” It wasn't so much a question as it was a statement. Louis sighs and nods.

“I'm about a month along. I wanted to wait and tell everyone as a Christmas present.”

Gemma gushed over it for a few moments, telling them how happy she was for them and how she was excited to be an aunt again. She wishes them luck and they walk into the kitchen where Anne and Robin are cleaning up.

“Mum?” Harry asks nervously, holding Louis' hand in his tightly.

Anne turns around and frowns at the nervous look on her son's face. “What is it, love?”

Louis motions towards the island for them all to sit down. He fidgets in his seat until Harry places a calming hand on his thigh. Harry nods at him reassuringly and Louis pulls the ultrasound out of his pocket, sliding it across the island top towards the shocked faces of his in-laws.

“Another one?” Anne breathes, covering her mouth with her fingers. “I'm getting another grandchild?” Robin chuckles quietly and has to lift up his glasses to quickly wipe away a tear. Harry nods.

“Merry Christmas,” he grins, reaching out to take his mother's hand. Robin stands and pulls Louis into a fierce hug, which Louis returns full on.

“When did you find out?”

Louis grins and pulls away from Robin's hug, placing a hand on his tummy. “Last month. Wanted to keep it a secret from everyone until today. I'm actually surprised that H didn't notice all of the real estate websites.”

“You've been looking into buying a new house?” Harry asks, confused as to why Louis' never discussed this with him.

“Well, yeah. The only extra room in the house is the playroom and all of the kids' toys are in there. Storage is getting too full for anything else, so the only logical thing to do is buy a bigger house. I wasn't thinking about moving out of Nottingham, of course, just a little ways out of the hustle and bustle. We don't even have to sell the house, just rent it out to some uni kids. I'm fairly certain there are some still looking for a housing plan.”

Harry thinks for a moment before sighing, knowing that Louis was right about it all. “I guess it's decided, then. We're buying a new house.” Louis grins and wraps his arms around his husband's neck, kissing the corner of his mouth gently in a 'thank you.'

Hours later, when everyone is exhausted from dinner and the excitement of opening more presents and watching Christmas movies, Harry and Louis put the kids to bed in Harry's old room before trudging back downstairs to their makeshift bed of an air mattress and blankets on the living room floor. The rest of the adults have already turned in for the night, leaving the husbands to stay up a little later.

“This was a great Christmas,” Harry murmurs, poking at the burning wood in the fireplace to keep the flames alive.

Louis nods and snuggles further down under the blankets. “You're sure about buying a new house? We don't have to, we can donate the toys they don't play with and put the rest in storage so we can turn the playroom into a nursery.”

Harry crawls on his hands and knees over towards him, kissing his forehead before sliding under the blankets with him. “I'd love to buy a new house,” he says. “We just have to find one that's close to the university and one that the kids will love. We'll also need a big backyard so Chloe can run around; maybe a few hundred fenced in acres.”

Louis giggles, hiding his face in Harry's neck. “So you're saying we should move into the countryside?” He'd love to live outside a city where the nearest neighbor was a few miles away. The kids would have plenty of room to play and Chloe would have room to run. They can get a few horses as well to help keep the weeds from overgrowing. Harry's grown up in a rural area his entire life, there's pre-X Factor pictures of him hanging out with cows, for Christ's sake. His man is rural as fuck and it's sort of sexy. He's got his own English country boy, minus the work boots and mud-covered truck and four-wheeler.

“That's exactly what I'm saying,” Harry says, wrapping his arms around him tight and pulling him flush against his chest. “You know this Christmas tops the past years, right?”

“Why's that Harold?”

“Because we're having another baby.”

**Author's Note:**

> not posting regularly feels weird, so i'm reposting all of my old 1d fics. i don't write for the fandom anymore, so these will be the only ones posted.


End file.
